Parachute pack



June 7 1927.

J. M. RUSSELL PARACHUTE PACK Filed April 12. 1926 JAMES m. RUSSELL, or

Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,631,767 PATENT OFFICE.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB TO HERBERT B. HOCLIN- TOOK, 01 SANDIEGO, CALIIOBNIA.

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Application fled April 12, 1926. Serial. No. 101,420.

This invention relates to parachutes of the type adapted to be worn onthe back of an aviator, and the primary object is' the provision of aparachute which is reta ned 1n a container of novel form and consistingessentially of a face piece of flexible material, having side flaps; anda separate piece, wh ch together with the side flaps, forms one side ofthe container. A further object is the provision of a parachutecontainer of this type having means extending through the parachute tointerconnect the slde edges of the separate piece with the edges of theside flaps and with the opposite face of the container on its oppositeside.

A further object is the provision of a nonrigid pack which will more orless conform to the body of the wearer, and having the parachuteretained in position by means of fastening cones attached to theseparate piece, these cones passing through the pack and being fa tenedto a pull cord adapted to be manually operated by the wearer after he isclear of the aircraft. The separate piece of the container is fixed tothe pull cord so that it will be positively removed from its positionand freed of the rest of the pack after the pull cord is operated torelease the locking cones.

A further object is the provision of a parachute pack of trapezium form,having a smaller top edge than the lower edge and having upwardlyconverging sides which are substantially parallel to the two adjacentsides of the triangular flap which is separable from the rest of thepack.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be more fully setforth, reference being had to the following description of the preferredform of my invention, and to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 isa rear elevation of the side of the pack which is exposed to theslipstream.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the pack showing the side which is placedagainst the wearers back.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view of the rear of the pack after it has been opened andthe separate triangular piece removed. and Fig. 5 is a \'lt\\' of theejec pull cord attachment.

Referring more particularly by reference numerals to the drawings, theparachute tion strap and verging upwardly. Attached to the edge of theface piece 1 are the top flap 6 of substantially triangular form, bottomfla 7 and two side flaps 8 and 9; all of the si e flaps extending ashort distance towards the center of the pack where they are overlappedby a separate trian ular piece 10, the plece 10 overlappin the inneredges 11, 12 and 13 of the three fia-ps S, 9 and 7, as shown. The varous flaps, face piece 1 and triangular section 10 are all constructed offlexible fabric material which is devoid of rigidifymg elements with theexception of the two thm sprmg pieces 14 which extend vertically alongthe face 1 and which may take the form of corset steels fastened to thefabric section 1, so that the entire pack will be of a non-rigid andyielding construction. With such a construction the ack may yield andglve 1n the movements 0 the wearer and will more closely conform to theshape of the body. The pack is adapted to be worn on the back of theaviator with the section 1 against his back, and with the flap 10exposed to the air-rush. The various flaps fold around and enclose thesustaining par-achute 15 which is stufl'ed into the container 1n acomparatively loose manner so that the pack will be pliable. It is to beunderstood that the parachute completely fills the coin tainer, althoughit is preferred that the parachute should not be so tight] y pressedinto the container as to form a compact mass. The suspension straps 16of the cu tomary form extend into the pack and are connected to theropes of the parachute. An suitable harness may be used for at tac ingthe pack to the back of the aviator.

Attached to each corner or apex of the triangular flap 10 is anattaching cone. the cones being indicated at 17, 18 and 19. These conesproject downwardly into the pack and extend through grommet-s in theedges of the side flaps, and also through branches of the pull wire arelocated on the forward side of the pack and between the front section 1and the back of the aviator, and are attached rigidly to the pull ring24= which may be placed in a suitable location on the pack where it maybe easily grasped and pulled.

The pull ring 24 is attached to a strap 25 which extends around to theback of the pack on the outside thereof and enters the pack under theedges of the bottom flap 7 and under the lower edge of the tr angularflap 10. At this point the strap is provided with a grommet 26 whichco-operates with the cone 18. The strap then extends along the front ofthe pack, close to the front section 1, and is then folded back so as toextend around the portion of the parachute embraced thereby and isattached to the flap 10 in a.v permanent manner at the point 27. Thestrap 25 thenextends along the triangular flap 10 to a point 28, the end29 of the strap then extending towards the center of the ack again tocompletely embrace the portion of the parachute therein.

It will now be understood that the parachute 15 is placed on the frontsection 1 around and on all sides of the grommets 30, and 38, and thetwo side flaps 8 and 9 are then folded over in place; the top and bottomflaps 6 and 7 being then positioned and the triangular flap 10 and theejectlon strap 25 then applied in position so that the locking cones 1-7will extend through the grommet 31 in flap 6, grommets 32 in flaps 8 and9, and grommet 3O inthe front section 1. The cone 18 in a similar mannerengages the grommet 33, then grommet 26 and 1n turn grommets 34 and 35.Looking cone 19 extends through grommets 36, 37 and 38 in turn. With theejection strap positioned 7 around and embracing a part of the parachuteand interconnecting the pull ring with the triangular fla 10, it will beapparent that when the pn ring is manuall 3erked by the aviator the pullcord wil be released from the end of the locking cones through whichthey extend and immediately thereafter as the aviator extends his arm,the flap 10 will be jerked out of lace and the part of the parachuteembraced by the ejection strap will be forcibly pulled out of thecontainer, where it may catch the air and be completely removed as theair catches the parachute and drags upon it.

The location of the locking cones upon the removable flap 10 reduces thechances of interference between the parachute and cones and removes anypossibility of the cones causing interference with the re-' moval of thearachute, since the flap 10 which holds tiiem is jerked clear of therest of the parachute container as soon as the cones are released. Thecomplete removal of the flap 10 fromtherest of permits the minimumnumber of fastening cones to be used. Furthermore the position of thesefastening cones at points substantially removed from the edges of thepack and passing entirely through the pack, provides a means to retainthe parachute in its position within the pack and prevents the parachutefrom shifting. around therein. I I am aware that variouschanges andmodifications may be made within the sco c of my invention, and do notintend to e limited to the precise construction which has been chosenherein for the purpose of illustration of the preferred embodimentthereof.

I claim:

1. In a parachute pack adapted to be worn by an aviator, a container forthe parachute made of flexible material and having a face piece and aplurality of side flaps connected to the edges of the face plece, aparachute within the container, a separate piece of material on theopposite side of the parachute from theface piece, said side flapsoverlapping the edges of said separate piece, and locking cones re-.leasably holding said separate piece to the overlapping side flaps toretain the parachute enclosed between the face piece, side flap andtheseparate piece. 3

2. In a parachute pack adapted to be worn by an aviator, a containerfor' the parachute made of flexible material and having a face piece anda plurality of side flaps connected to the edges of the face piece, aparachute within the container, a separate piece of material on theopposite s1 e of the parachute from the face, piece, and meansreleasably holding said separate piece to the side flaps and to the facepiece and extending through the pack to retain .the'parachute enclosedin position between the face piece, side flaps and the separate plece.

3. In a parachute pack adapted to be worn by an aviator, a container forthe parachute made of flexible material and having a face piece and aplurality of side flaps connected to the edges of the face piece, aparachute within the container, a separate piece of material on thecenter of the opposite side of the parachute from the face piece havingedges overlapped by said side flaps, and meanso'n said separate piecereleasably holding said separate'piece to the side flaps to retain theparachute enclosed between the face piece, side flap and the separatepiece.

4. In a parachute pack adapted to be worn by an aviator, a container forthe parachute made of flexible material and having a face piece and aplurality of side flaps connected to the edges of the face piece, aparachute within the container, a separate triangular piece of materialon the opposite side of the pack from the face iece, and locking conesreleasably holding t e corners of said separate piece to the side flapsand to the face piece and extending through the pack to retain theparachute enclosed in position between the face piece, side flaps andthe separate piece.

5. A yielding parachute container for packed parachutes adapted to bewern by an aviator, comprising a flexibleface' piece having a pluralityof side flaps connected to its edges and extending short distancestoward the center of the container and adapted to extend around aparachute, a separate piece of flexible material on the same side of thecontainer as said side flaps and overlapping said side flaps at itsedges, locking cones fastened to the corners of said separate piece,grommets in the edges of the side flaps and in the said face piece forengagement with said cones and a pull cord for releasably retaining saidgrommets in engagement with the cones to maintain the parachute inposition within the container.

6. A parachute container for packed para-- chutes adapted to be Worn byan avlator, comprising a flexible face piece adapted to be worn againstthe aviators back and having a plurality ofside flaps connected to itsedges and extending short distances toward the center of the containerand adapted to extend around a parachute, a separate piece of flexiblematerial on the same side of the container as said side flaps andoverlapping said side flaps at its edges, locking cones fastened to thecorners of said separate piece, grommets in the edges of the side flapsand in the said face piece for engagement with said cones and a pullcord between the container and the aviators back for releasablyretainingsaid grommets in engagement with the cones to maintain theparachute in position within the container.

7. A parachute container for packed parachutes adapted to be Worn on anaviators back, comprising a flexible face piece of trapezium shape withthe upper edge considerably smaller than its lower edge and havingsubstantially straight side edges, converging towards the top. aplurality of side flaps connected to the edges of the face strip andextending short distances toward the center of the container and adaptedto be placed around a parachute, a separate triangular piece of materialon the same side of the container as said side flaps and overlappingsaid side fla s at its edges and means to releasably holc the saidseparate piece to the edges of the side flaps.

8. A para-chute container for packed parachutes'adapted to be Worn on anaviators back, comprising a flexible face piece of trapezium shape withthe upper edge considerably smaller than its lower edge and havingsubstantially straight side edges, converging towards the top, apluralit of side flaps connected to the edges of the flice strip andextending short distances toward the center of the container and adaptedto be so placed around a parachute, aseparate triangular piece ofmaterial on the same side of the container as said side flaps andoverlapping said side flaps at its edges, and

means on the corners of the said separatei'ea piece to releasably holdthe said separate piece to the edges of the said flaps.

9. A parachute container for packed parachutes adapted to be worn on anaviators back, comprising a flexible face piece of trapezium shape withthe upper edge considerably smaller than its lower edge and havingsubstantially straight side edges, converging towards the top, aplurality of side flaps connected to the edges of the face in strip andextending short distances toward the center of the container and adaptedto be placed around a parachute, a separate triangular piece of materialon the same side of the container as said side flaps and low overlappingsaid side flaps at its edges and 7 locking cones interconnecting thecorners of the separate piece, the edges of said side flap and theopposing parts of the said face piece together to retain the parachutein position within the container.

10. A parachute pack adapted to be worn on an aviators back, comprisinga container of non-rigid form, formed of a flexible face piece oftrapezium shape with the upper edge considerably smaller than its loweredge and having substantially straight side edges, converging towardsthe top, a plurality of side flaps connected to the edges of the facestrip and extending short distances-toward the center of ,the container,a separate triangular piece of material havin r edges overlapping theedges of the side aps, a parachute enclosed by said face piece, sideflap and triangular piece collectively, and means extending through thepack to retain the parachute in position therein and to inter connectthe edges of the side flaps. the corners of the triangular flap and theface piece together, and a rip cord adapted to be manually pulled torelease the last named means and forcibly remove the said triangularpiece from the pack.

11. In a parachute worn on an aviators ack adapted to be ack, a flexiblecontainer of flexible material comprising a face piece of trapezium formhaving a short up-- pull ring, and a ripcord extending through the coneson the side of the pack which is against the wearers back.

12. In a parachute pack, a container for the parachute made of flexiblematerlal and having a face piece, and a plurality of side flapsextending a short distance towards the center of the pack, a separatepleceof material overlappmg the edges of the side flaps, meansreleasably attaching the edges of the side flaps and the separate piecestogether, a pull device for releasing said means, and a strap connectingthe pull device to one of said pieces to forcibly remove the separatepiece from the rest of the pack when the pull device is operated.

13. In a parachute pack, a parachute, a

. container for the parachute made of flexible material and having aface piece, and a plurality of side flaps extending a short distancetowards the center of the pack, a separate piece of material overlappingthe edges attaching of the side flaps, means releasably;

e separate the edges of the side flaps and t piece together, a pulldevice for releasing said means, and a strap connecting the ull deviceto the separate piece and exten in'g around a portion of the parachuteto forcibly remove the separate piecefrom the rest of the pack andforcibly eject a portion of the parachute when the pull device isoperated.

14. In a parachute ack, a parachute, a container for the parac ute madeof flexible material and having a face piece, and a plurality of sideflaps extending a short distance towards the center of the pack,'aseparate piece of material overlapping the edges of the side flaps,means releasably attaching the said face piece and the edges of the sideflaps and the separate piece together, a pull parachute to forciblyremove the separate piece from the rest of the pack and forcibly eject aportion of the parachute when the pull device is operated, said separatepiece having a triangular shape and said pack having two opposite sidesconverging to gether towards the top of the pack.

15. In a parachute pack as set forth in claim 11, an ejection strapconnected to said ring and extending into the pack around a part of theparachute and attached to the triangular topflap to cause the forcibleejection of the parachute and the forceful removal of the saidtriangular top flap when the pull ring is operated.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 3rd day of April,1926.

JAMES M. RUSSELL.

